April 22, 2010

more from Monterey Bay Aquarium

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

So who knew that one of the ugliest and scariest creatures in the giant three-story tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium would turn out to be one of the friendliest? Yes, that's right folks -- next time you are considering getting a dog as a companion I suggest you consider adopting a Wolf Eel instead.

When this Wolf Eel spotted his friend the diver in the tank he came over for some pets -- it was just like the diver and the the Wolf Eel were the best of friends, which of course, they are.

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

I thought it wouldn't hurt anything if I showed you another shot of the incredibly beautiful Sea Nettle.

While standing in front of these creatures I couldn't resist wondering what they might be thinking about. Probably not a lot. (Wouldn't that be nice?)

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

And daw-gon it, but I forgot to take note of the name of this white Jelly, but it looks like the Jellies we sometimes find washed up on our beaches around here -- they're completely transparent, except for the slightly translucent bits. A word of caution -- you wouldn't want to handle this species of Jellyfish either.

click photo for full-size imagephoto by Donald Kinney

If you've read John Stienbeck's Cannery Row, then you might remember Doc (Ed) Ricketts, whose character in the book was based largely on reality.

This was Doc Rickett's home and laboratory -- he was a marine biologist by trade and a poet at heart, but in his spare time Doc and Stienbeck (((after a few beers, I'm sure))) were fabled to have enjoyed collecting frogs on moonlit nights. The frogs they collected were worth good money -- schools were always looking for frogs to dissect.

Doc's old home and laboratory here is just a stone-throw from the Aquarium, but I'm afraid this is about the only remaining authentic bit of Cannery Row. I grew up just up the hill from Cannery Row and I'm an old fart so I can tell you that Cannery Row is nothing like it used to be -- it's pretty much oriented towards tourists these days. Great place to buy an over-priced t-shirt.

I'm an old fart to--maybe even older? I remember Cannery Row in the late 50's, after the sardines went away and the canneries closed but before the heavy touristification--the place was deserted, with the old canneries empty and slowly sagging into Monterey Bay. The hardest job I ever had was consecutive lunch and dinner shifts as a dishwasher at the Outrigger--I lasted one day and took off, figuring there had to be an easier way to make a living. (There was.)